Best Of the best boxing finals proceed without key boxers

NELSON DIRENG
Correspondent | Monday November 22, 2010 00:00

 

The annual Best of the Best boxing tournament took place over the weekend despite the absence of a lot of key players. Only five bouts from the expected 21 were staged on Saturday during the semi-finals. The finals yesterday were however not much of a disaster as seven out of eight bouts that had been scheduled took place.

Botswana Boxing Association (BOBA) spokesperson Willoughby Kemoen said the absence of boxers was due to the recently ended Form Five exams. He said most of the boxers that did not perform had not been training during the exams which made it difficult for them to participate in the tournament. Kemoen however said that other boxers had not been able to attend due to personal problems. 'Thato 'Hands of stone' Batshegi is recuperating from a car accident he was involved in recently whilst Michael 'Pick and shovel' Rantsho could not attend due to family commitments,' he said.

Both boxers were expected to meet each other in the featherweight (56kg) finals yesterday after they fought a close contest that was won by Rantsho at the 10th edition Botswana National Boxing Championships that were held last month. Nonetheless, there were interesting bouts that took place yesterday during the Best of the Best finals. Bantam weight (52kg) finalists, Kgomotso Bok and Oteng 'Terrible OT' Oteng met again after their interesting encounter at the National Championships finals. Although Oteng went home the winner once again, Bok was no easy meat. Bok who lagged behind his opponents by two points in the second round unleashed a surprise attack in the third and final round registering another two points to end it four all.

Oteng was declared the winner by unanimous decision. Another bout which had been expected to be a walkover for 2010 Commonwealth Bronze medallist, Tirafalo 'Fighting Prince' Seoko shocked everyone as his opponent Alphious Farmer beat him to become the featherweight (56kg) champion.

There was however not much of a surprise in other categories as 2009 national boxer of the year, Bathusi 'Lobatse Bullet'Mogajane eliminated Mooketsi Lekgetho in the light flyweight(49kg) category. Mmoloki Nogeng beat Gaolatlhe Mpotsang in the lightweight (60kg) category and Keoagile Rantutu became the winner of the welterweight (69kg) bout after beating Six Moremi.

Thabang Motsewabeng, a losing finalist in the light welter weight category to Gomotsang Gaasite was awarded the promising boxer of the tournament award during the prize giving ceremony that was held after the event. The best boxer of the tournament award went to Farmer and the best bout award went to Farmer and Seoko. The best referee was Etsogile Ngwako, best judge - Gaolefufa Othamile and the best coach was from the Sir Seretse Khama Barracks boxing club, Justice Mokobela. The winners of the final bouts received gold medals whilst their opponents automatically received silver medals. All Gold medallists were given P500 prize monies whilst silver medallists received P300.

The most entertaining bout pugilists also received P500.